204 MORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



Engl. Fl. i. p. 157. Fig. 1. Awned valve of the corolla. 

 2. Inner valve awnless. 3. Floret. 4. Nectary magnified. 



Obs. The awns are a continuation of the keel of the blossom, 

 thus forming the connecting link between this genus and 

 Festuca (Woodward). Corolla with a large knot at the base, 

 hairy, outer valve ribbed and keeled ; awn shorter than the 

 blossom ; anthers of a beautiful saffron colour. (Withering.) 

 E. Bot. 471; Host.; Wither. 2d ed. p. 160; Hort. Gram. 

 Wob. Fol. 95. German Aufrechte Trespe. 



Native of Britain. Root fibrous. Perennial. 



Experiments. At the time of flowering, the produce from a 

 rich sandy soil is 



Produce per Acre, 

 dr. qr. Ibs. 



Grass, 19 oz. The produce per acre - 12931 14 



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry 36 7 



The produce of the space, ditto - 136 33 5819 5 8 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 7112 8 8 



64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 23") 



The produce of the space, ditto 13 OJJ 555 10 10 



At the time the seed is ripe, the produce is 

 Grass, 16 oz. The produce per acre 10890 



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry 46 ^ 



The produce of the space, ditto - 147 Of 5 

 The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 4628 4 

 64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 20^ 

 The produce of the space, ditto 8 j 34 5 



The weight of nutritive matter, in which the produce 

 of one acre, at the time of flowering, exceeds that 

 at the time the seed is ripe, in the proportion 

 nearly of 5 to 3, is - 215 5 3 



Mr. Curtis has remarked of this grass that it is peculiar to 

 chalky soils, and that its appearance in a wild state is much less 

 favourable than when cultivated in a garden. I have found it on 

 rather low-lying sandy soils, as in some parts of Woburn-park, 

 where it appeared as luxuriant as when cultivated in the grass- 



IX O 



garden. But the fact is, the culms rise to a considerable height, 

 and the root-leaves are but few in number, though growing to 

 some length ; the grass, by this means, appears to be much more 

 productive than it really is. It seems to be but little relished by 

 cattle, the leaves being rough with hairs. I have not had an 



